The Hero
by peytona05
Summary: When Starsky is attacked, Hutch is determined to make sure it doesn't happen again. Part Two of my "Hero" series.
1. Chapter 1

He was sitting in the emergency room, his face in his hands, when he heard someone call his name.

"Hutch, I left my house as soon as the babysitter showed up. What happened?" Melissa Griffin frantically asked him.

"He had just gotten home from your house, and as he opened his front door, he was shot twice-once in the arm and once in the stomach. His neighbor heard the gunshots and called 911. One of the EMTs, who's a friend of ours, called me at my apartment."

"Is Dave going to be all right?"

"I don't know, Melissa. The doctors are working hard to save him, but it's just too soon to tell." Hutch pulled her into a hug. "How do you think Ashley is going to take the news?"

"Hard. She really looks up to him, you know? He's like a second father to her, and she would be devastated if anything happened to Dave. Hutch, I don't understand. Why would _anyone_ want to murder him? He's a good guy."

"I know he is, Melissa. But he's also on the good side of the law. He and I have busted a lot of weirdos. This may be one of them trying to get back at us. Now, listen to me. I'm sure Starsky will be fine. Don't worry. Just go on home, and I'll call you if there's any change."

Melissa looked into Hutch's eyes. "Promise?"

He gave her a weak smile. "I make it a rule to never break a promise. You'll be the first one I call."

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The following morning Melissa had still not heard from Hutch. She'd sat up all night, waiting by the telephone. Now it was time to wake Ashley and get her ready for school. Melissa wasn't ready to tell her daughter about what had happened. Ashley adored her mother's new boyfriend, and knowing what had occurred last night would ruin her entire day. Melissa decided to wait until that afternoon to break the news to her eight-year-old daughter.

She quietly went into her child's bedroom. "Ashley, honey. Come on, it's time to get ready for school. Let's go."

The little girl rolled over and slowly opened her blue eyes. "Is it morning already? I was just getting to sleep good."

Melissa laughed. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I suppose Dave and I shouldn't have kept you up so late last night. I'll make sure he doesn't stay as long next time." _If there is a "next time"_, she thought.

"That's okay, he can say 'sorry' when he comes over again." Ashley pulled the covers off of her small body and crawled out of bed. "What's for breakfast?"

"A bowl of cereal and some orange juice. How does that sound?"

"It sounds great. Can I wear this to school today?" She retrieved a light blue jumper decorated with butterflies from her closet.

Melissa picked out a white T-shirt from Ashley's dresser drawer. "Here you go, and here's a blue ribbon to go in your hair."

"Thanks, Mom." Ashley ran to the kitchen, leaving her mother in her room to watch her leave.

To herself, Melissa asked, "Oh Dave, how am I going to tell her what happened?"


	2. Chapter 2

Hutch spent the morning at the hospital. He had spoken to Dr. Madison, the operating surgeon, and there had been no change in Starsky's condition. He was still in a coma, but his heart was continuing to beat, and at the moment, that was all Hutch cared about. As long as there was still hope, he refused to look at the negativity of the situation.

The blond wasn't sure how long Starsky would remain unconscious. There were a lot of people depending on his partner, waiting for him to wake up. Despite the courage he had shown Melissa the night before, Hutch was scared half out of his mind. He wasn't ready to lose his best friend. Starsky had lost a substantial amount of blood, and it looked very grim. The doctors didn't think he would make it, but he'd already lasted longer than they expected. Starsky had made it through the emergency surgery he had undergone the night before, which was a miracle in and of itself. The bullet that had been shot into his stomach was lodged in such a way that surgery was supposed to have meant almost certain death, but Starsky had proved the doctors wrong.

Hutch was sure he would lose his mind if he didn't get out of that waiting room. He had called Captain Dobey earlier to let him know that he wouldn't be coming in to the office, so work was out of the question. He let his mind wander to Melissa. _I hope she's holding up okay._ Then his thoughts turned to Ashley. _She was probably hysterical when Melissa gave her the news. I suppose I should check on them._

He felt a bit funny about calling Melissa at work. After all, she was dating his best friend. Besides, would he want Starsky to call his girlfriend? _I would if it were _me _laying on that bed in there._ He walked up to the desk and asked to use the phone. Dialing the number, he waited until he heard her voice. "Betty's Flower Shop, this is Melissa. How may I help you?"

"Melissa, it's Hutch. How are you doing this morning?"

"Hey, Hutch. I'm all right, but I'm tired. I stayed up the entire night, in case you called. How's Dave?"

"Still no change. I just wanted to check on you and Ashley. How'd she take it?"

Melissa hesitated. "I haven't told her yet. I didn't want to place a damper on her day at school, so I'm going to tell her this afternoon after she gets home."

"Do you want me to come over to help you break the news? What time does she get home?"

"Oh, Hutch, would you? I'd really appreciate it. She gets to the house about three-fifteen. That would be great. Are you sure you don't mind?"

"It's no problem. I'd actually like to get out of the hospital for a little while, and that would be the perfect opportunity. Listen, have you had lunch yet?"

"I was going to take my lunch break in a few minutes. Why?"

"How about meeting me at The Pits? I need to pass the news along to Huggy, and we could discuss how to tell your daughter about Starsky."

"Okay. I'll meet you there in about twenty minutes."

"All right, see you soon."

Hutch grabbed his jacket and headed out the door.

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Huggy saw Hutch walk into The Pits. "You ain't looking so good. What you been up to?"

Hutch sighed as he looked at his black friend. "I've been at the hospital. Starsky was shot last night."

"You kidding? What happened?"

The blond quickly recounted the story, and as he was wrapping it up, Melissa strolled up to him. "Hi, Hutch."

He returned the greeting, then asked, "Melissa, you've met Huggy, haven't you? He owns the place."

"Yeah, Dave's introduced us once or twice. It's nice to see you, Huggy."

Huggy accepted the extended hand and gently kissed it. "Starsky's love- beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Allow me to say that he has excellent taste."

Hutch cleared his throat as he raised an eyebrow at Huggy. "Uh, Hug, we're ready to order. Two specials, if you don't mind."

Huggy gave his friend a disgusted look as he left the table. While Hutch and Melissa waited for their lunch, they began to discuss what to tell Ashley.

"I just don't know how to break the news," Melissa confessed. "Ashley looks up to Dave, and she would be heartbroken if he didn't make it. What should I say?"

"Just tell her the truth. Say that he's been shot, and he's in the hospital, but he is still alive. Explain the situation in words she can understand."

"And if he doesn't wake up?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it-_if_ we get to it. Until then, we need to focus on what's going on right now."

"You're right. I suppose that's all I can do."

The two friends made small talk during the remainder of lunch. Afterwards, Melissa suggested that Hutch go home and take a nap before coming over to the house. He agreed, and as they walked out together, Hutch said, "I guess I'll be at your place around three."

"Sounds good. I'll see you soon."


	3. Chapter 3

As tired as he was when he plopped down on his couch, Hutch simply could not bring himself to take a nap. His mind was spinning with thoughts of the last several hours. He didn't have any earthly idea who would have wanted his partner dead. It bothered him that he had no way of bringing justice to Starsky's attack. Hutch wondered if he should ask Huggy to see what he could find out. _That's not a bad idea. We do it all the time. Why should this case be any different?_

Hutch finally decided against trying to nap. Instead, he reached for a notepad and a pen, and did something his mother had always told him to do: "When you're feeling bad, write somebody a letter."

_Hey pal,_

_Listen, I don't know what's going on. I don't know if you're gonna wake up, and I'm about to go insane, worrying about it. Melissa is worried about telling Ashley, and that little girl is going to be devastated when she finds out. I talked to Huggy and Captain Dobey today, and they were both sorry about the whole thing. But somehow their pity doesn't seem so important, because I know that it won't bring you out of that coma. The fact of the matter is, I _need_ you to come out of this thing. If you don't make it, I don't know what I'll do._

Hutch put the pen and paper down, telling himself that he would finish the letter later. He needed to get a shower and head over to Melissa's.

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Melissa and Hutch were in the kitchen washing dishes when they heard Ashley walk through the front door. "Mom, who's car is that outside?"

They joined her on the couch. "This is Hutch," introduced Melissa. "He's friends with Dave. Hutch, meet Ashley."

The eight-year-old red-head mumbled a quiet "hello" as she looked around the room. Turning back to her mother, Ashley inquired, "Where is Dave?" She then turned her attention to Hutch. "Why didn't he come with you?"

The adults exchanged glances before Melissa responded. "Sweetheart, we need to talk. I wasn't exactly sure how to tell you, and Hutch agreed to come over."

"Tell me what?" Ashley asked slowly. "What's wrong?"

Melissa could feel the tears welling up, and she motioned to Hutch to tell Ashley. "Ashley, I need you to listen to me carefully, okay?" He took a deep breath and sent a glance in Melissa's direction before continuing. "Dave's in the hospital. Someone broke into his apartment last night, and when Dave walked through the door, he was shot."

"Is he okay? Can I go see him tomorrow?"

"He lived through the surgery, but he isn't awake yet. I don't think you need to visit Dave until _after_ he wakes up."

"What if he doesn't wake up? I'll never see him again."

Ashley burst into tears and ran out of the parlor to her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Hutch and Melissa looked at each other for a few moments before either one said a word. Finally Melissa spoke up. "Thanks for stopping by, Hutch. I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem. Starsk would have done the same if the shoe was on the other foot. Anyway, I'm going to head back over to the hospital. I'll call later to check on you, and to let you know if there's any change. If he wakes up, how about bringing Ashley over?"

"Sure, that would be fine. I'll talk to you later, Hutch. Bye."

Hutch thought about his conversation with Ashley on his way back to Memorial. Her words echoed exactly what he feared: _What if he doesn't wake up?_ She was right about never seeing him again. Hutch wasn't sure if he would be able to handle his last memory of Starsky being what it was-laying on a hospital bed, barely alive.

He sauntered into the waiting room and sat down in a chair. Picking up a magazine, he only flipped through the pages, not even bothering to look at the illustrations. Finally, Hutch set it down on the coffee table where it belonged, and he rose from his seat. He wandered up to the desk and asked for the telephone.

Hutch dialed the number to Captain Dobey's office. Upon hearing the captain's voice, Hutch remarked, "Sir, it's Hutchinson. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be back in the office tomorrow."

"All right. How's Starsky holding up?"

"About as good as can be expected. He's still in a coma, but he's alive, and I'm glad for that. I keep on hoping he'll wake up soon."

"Everyone here feels the same way. He's a great cop, and a good guy. We all miss him."

Hutch smiled. "I'll pass the message along when I'm able to talk to him."

"You be sure and do that. See you in the morning, Hutchinson."

The blond handed the phone to the receptionist, removed his jacket from the back of the chair, and headed out the door to go home for the remainder of the day.


	4. Chapter 4

It was noon the following day when Hutch returned to the hospital. As he walked through the lobby, a doctor approached him. "Officer Hutchinson, do you remember me? I'm Dr. Madison; I operated on your partner."

The two shook hands as Hutch responded, "How is he doing?"

"Much better. In fact, I was just going to my office to call you. He woke up a few moments ago, calling out the name 'Hutch', and I remembered you telling me that's his nickname for you. Would you like to see him?"

"Yes, I would. May I?"

"Certainly. Come with me."

A few moments later, Hutch was sitting next to Starsky's bed. "Hey, buddy. You still awake?" he said quietly.

The curly head turned to look at Hutch. "What the hell happened to me? Why am I in a hospital?"

"You were shot, Starsk. I'm not sure who did this to you, but I'm working on finding out. I wanted to wait and see what you remembered."

"Not a lot. I remember...I remember coming home from Melissa's house and opening my door, but everything after that is just a blur. How are Melissa and Ashley?"

"They're holding up. Do you think you'd feel up to having them for company this afternoon?"

Starsky thought about it for a moment. "What is today?"

"Friday."

"Tomorrow."

Hutch mistook that for another question. "Saturday."

"What?" Starsky asked, not understanding.

"Tomorrow is Saturday."

The two friends looked at each other. "Hutch, I may not remember a whole lot, but I know that Saturday comes after Friday. I was answering your question about seeing Melissa and Ashley. Today the only person I want to see is my best friend."

"You got it. I'm on my lunch break right now, but I can stay another half hour. I'll call Melissa tonight and tell her to come see you tomorrow. All right?"

"Sounds good. You said that you _are_ gonna stay a while, didn't you, Hutch?" Starsky's eyelids were getting heavy.

Hutch nodded. "Yeah. Get some rest, Starsky. I'll be right here."

Starsky fell asleep, and Hutch sat there for thirty minutes, watching his friend rest, and he felt that somehow the universe's natural order had been restored. Before he left, Hutch whispered, "It's good to have you back, pal. Everyone at the office said to tell you that they miss you."

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"I have a surprise for you, young lady." Melissa joined her daughter in the parlor. "How does a visit to the hospital tomorrow sound?"

Ashley flashed a smile at her mother. "He's awake? Oh, please, Mom, can we go see Dave tomorrow? _Please_?"

"Yes," Melissa laughed. "That was Hutch on the telephone. Dave woke up earlier today, and he has, to quote Hutch, 'requested your presence tomorrow.' We just have a few rules we need to go over. First of all, it's a hospital, so you have to be quiet. Second, I'm sure Dave will be in quite a bit of pain, so if you feel the urge to hug him, don't hug him too tight."

Ashley interrupted. "Third, I want to see him first. I have something important I need to tell him, and you're not allowed to hear. You can sit out in the hall, and I'll let you know when we're done talking."

Melissa smiled. "It's a deal. We'll leave mid-morning, and hopefully he'll be awake."

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"Knock, knock," Dr. Madison quietly called. Starsky turned his head. "Oh good, you're awake. You have a visitor, Sergeant Starsky."

Ashley peeked around the corner and grinned. "Hi, Dave. Can I come in?"

Starsky returned her smile. "Sure." Ashley crossed the room and started to hug him, but he stopped her. "Hold it. Come to the other side."

"Why?"

"Because the side you're on right now is the side that hurts."

The little girl did as she was told. Once she had made herself comfortable on the edge of her friend's bed, she wanted to know, "Does it hurt-where you were shot?"

"It does when the medicine wears off. Why do you ask?"

"Promise you won't tell Mom? It's kind of a secret. I just wanted to tell you that if it hurts so bad that you want to cry, you could cry in front of me, and I wouldn't tell Mom, because if she knew that you had been crying, she might get worried."

Starsky gently rubbed his good hand across Ashley's face. "Well, I'll tell you, I am in a lot of pain, but if it gets to the point where I can't handle it, you'll be the first one I call...right after I call my doctor."

Ashley giggled as she made her way to the door. "Let me tell Mom that it's okay for her to come in now."

A few moments later, Melissa was standing by the bed. "Ashley decided that since she had time alone with you, I should be allowed the same." Bending down and rubbing her fingers through Starsky's curly brown hair, she kissed him.

"Mm...I've missed that. I've missed you," she stated. "What did that daughter of mine have to say to you that was so important?"

"I made a promise not to tell you. And you know how I am about keeping promises."

"Yeah, you and Hutch are exactly alike. You don't break them."

"Right. Melissa, are you feeling all right? You look as if you're half dead."

"Oh, thanks for the compliment, Dave. I appreciate it," she replied sarcastically. "I've actually spent the last few nights worrying about you, and I haven't slept very well."

Starsky smiled. "Well, now you don't have an excuse. I'm gonna be fine, Melissa, and you don't have to worry. I'll be out of here in no time."

The couple chatted for a little while longer, and finally Melissa noticed that Starsky was nodding off. "Dave, I'm going to go now, so that you can get some sleep. I'll check on you soon, all right?" She kissed his cheek and headed for the door. Before exiting, she looked over her shoulder. _I hope Hutch catches the creep that did this to him. Dave doesn't deserve to suffer like this. And Hutch doesn't deserve to see his best friend suffer._


	5. Chapter 5

When Hutch walked in the next morning, Starsky was staring at the ceiling with his good arm under his head.

"Hey buddy. How are you feeling?"

"Bored. I'm tired of counting the same cracks over and over again. You know, I find it amazing that cracks in the ceiling can actually make you go to sleep."

Hutch looked up over his head, then at Starsky. "Isn't that what the pain medicine is for?"

"Pretty ironic, isn't it? Hey, do you see that arrangement of flowers right there by the door? They came this morning, and as you can tell, I can't quite reach them. See if there's a note."

Hutch picked up the small gift, and found what he was looking for. Pulling a piece of paper out of the miniature envelope, he turned pale as he read it to himself. He looked at his partner, and read slowly, "'Next time I won't miss.'"

"What? You're kidding me, right? It doesn't _really_ say that, does it?"

Hutch showed Starsky the note. "See for yourself. It's from your assailant, whoever he is. He's not going to give up until you're dead."

"Hutch, come on. Do you honestly believe he would come back? If his aim was any good, he wouldn't have missed me. Trust me, if he was going to kill me, he would have done it the first time."

"Starsky, what if his aim is better than you think? He may have just been trying to scare you."

"He sent me flowers! What crazed maniac shoots his victim, sends him flowers, and then comes back to kill him?" Starsky sighed. "Hutch, get out of here. You're making my side hurt."

"I think that's a good idea. Get some rest this afternoon, and think about this note. Maybe you'll come to your senses."

"How am I supposed to think if I'm asleep?"

"Maybe you'll dream about it; man, I don't know. Now relax, will ya?"

"Fine, whatever. But I still think you're wrong."

"Do me a favor, Starsk."

"Sure, as long as you quit telling me to go to sleep."

"How'd you know that was what I was going to say?"

"Because you've said it twice already. Now, will you get outta here so that I can rest? Oh, one more thing before you go. Could you fluff my pillows?"

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After work the next evening, Hutch headed to Melissa's house. He knocked, and after a few moments he heard Ashley ask from the other side, "Who is it?"

He responded, "Ken Hutchinson, Dave's friend." As she opened the door, he asked, "Hi, Ashley, do you remember me?"

She nodded. "Come on in. Mom, it's-what was your name again?"

Stepping through the doorway, the tall blond smiled as he replied, "Hutch. Melissa, I need to talk to you. It's kind of important."

"Okay. Ashley, go on to your room and get started on your homework." Melissa watched her daughter walk into the bedroom and close the door. "What is it, Hutch?"

"Did you work yesterday morning?"

"No, I never work on Sundays."

"Do you know who did? It's urgent that I get in touch with them."

"Hmm...I believe Lauren Coleman worked yesterday. Why?"

"Next question: Do you allow your customers to write their own notes?"

"Yes, we do. Hutch, what's going on?"

Hutch hesitated before responding. "I don't think you need to know right now. Let's just say that it may turn out to be a matter of life or death."

"If you can't tell me, then why did you bother coming over? You're scaring me by asking all these questions. And what do you mean by 'a matter of life or death'?"

"If I tell you, it will only scare you more. I don't want to do that to you."

"Tell me _what_? That the guy who tried to murder Dave bought flowers from where I work and sent them to him?"

Hutch fell silent. He looked down at the ground, not wanting to meet the gaze his partner's girlfriend was sending him.

"Oh my god. That really happened? Hutch, I was just trying to be sarcastic. Are you sure it came from Betty's?"

"I'm sure. The logo was on the front of the envelope."

"What did the note say?"

Hutch pulled his wallet from his back pocket. He found the note and handed it to Melissa. "Here it is."

Melissa gasped. "You don't have to talk to Lauren. I know who wrote it."

Hutch was startled. "You do? How do you know?"

Melissa replied a moment later, "I recognize the handwriting. It belongs to Stephen, my ex-husband."

"Melissa, are you sure?" Hutch paused. "Hold on a second. I thought Starsky told me that you and Ashley were originally from Colorado."

"We were, and I was sure that Stephen didn't know where we were."

"Wouldn't he need to know if he wanted to see Ashley?"

"That's just it. Why would he want to see her? He never cared for her. Stephen wasn't a very good father. He was an alcoholic, and he used to beat Ashley. I finally had enough, and when she was five, we left."

"If he doesn't care, then why is he here? Melissa, he tried to kill your boyfriend. Stephen's trying to protect _something_ from him."

"Like what? It isn't like he really cares about _us_."

Hutch placed his hands on Melissa's shoulders. "Listen, I don't know what he's after. I only know that he's trying to murder someone we both care about. As a cop, it's my job to find out exactly where he is, what he wants, and stop him before he can harm Starsky-or for that matter, anyone else-again. As Starsky's best friend, I would at least attempt to do that, regardless of my profession. And you better believe that when I find Stephen, he's going to wish he had never messed with Starsky in the first place."

Melissa watched Hutch leave. After the door shut, Melissa sat on the couch, and she drew her knees up to her chin. With tears streaming down her face, she quietly said, "I'm not much of a praying woman, but I'm really scared. Stephen is trying to kill Dave, and there's nothing I can do about it. What if Hutch can't stop him? He loves Dave more than I do. He'll be devastated if something goes wrong and Dave ends up dying. And what about Ashley? She's crazy about Dave, and terrified of her father. If Stephen gets to Dave, who's to say he won't come after us as well?"

Melissa remained on the couch, weeping and fearful, not knowing that her daughter had heard the entire prayer.


	6. Chapter 6

He had been pacing the length of his hotel room for more than an hour. He had followed and watched Starsky from a distance for weeks now. He knew where he lived, what time he left for work, and what time he arrived home. He knew what he did for a living, where he enjoyed hanging out, and who he spent most of his time with. He knew Starsky had a new girlfriend, and Stephen wanted her back. A week ago, while Starsky was on a date, Stephen had managed to make his way into Starsky's apartment by telling the landlord that he was Starsky's cousin. At a quarter to nine, Starsky had walked through his front door and was greeted with a shot into his arm and into his stomach. Usually Stephen had better aim, but he had been expecting Starsky home much later and had been startled by his early arrival home.

For the past seven days, Stephen had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike again. He had tried to figure out just how to get rid of Starsky while keeping his partner uninvolved. He knew, however, that it would be difficult. He had observed over the last several weeks that they were much more than partners; they were good friends. Stephen couldn't afford to get caught by the police, especially a cop this close to his victim, because he wasn't supposed to have left Colorado. He was on probation for drunk driving. _Of course_, he reasoned, _I suppose that would be a small price to pay to protect what is rightfully mine_.

Stephen and Melissa had been married ten years ago. They had only been dating a few months when he gave her the ring. Three months later, they were married, and two years following that, they had a baby girl named Ashley. But in that two years' time, Melissa had begun to say he had changed. He'd started coming home later and later from work, and he had started drinking. As Ashley grew older, he became more irritable, often taking his anger out on Melissa and Ashley. A week after Ashley's fifth birthday, Melissa said she'd had enough, and she left with Ashley, threatening to divorce him. That had been three years ago. He had hired a private investigator to find them, and when the man reported that they had moved to California, Stephen left Colorado to reunite himself with his past.

He knew Melissa hadn't been happy with him when she left that night. He also knew that he was still in love with her. And if Dave Starsky thought he was going to take Melissa and Ashley away from him, the detective had another thing coming.

Stephen's only concern now was what to do and how to go about it. He knew Starsky's partner would be spending most, if not all, of his free time at the hospital, and after that bouquet of flowers that Stephen had sent, the blond's guard would be up.

As Stephen finished his thought about the hospital, an idea came to him, and he knew exactly what his next step was going to be.


	7. Chapter 7

It was Hutch's day off, and he was planning to spend all of it with Starsky at the hospital. As he walked down the corridor, he passed a janitor that was starting to mop the floor. Hutch nodded to the man in acknowledgment, and continued to his friend's room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and Hutch didn't even notice that the janitor was staring at him as he strolled down the hallway.

Before walking out the front door of his apartment Hutch had picked up a book to read in case Starsky wasn't awake when he arrived. However, when he opened the door to Starsky's room, he saw that his hospitalized buddy was staring up at the ceiling.

"Counting the cracks on the ceiling again, are we?" Hutch smiled as his partner looked at him.

Starsky returned the grin while shaking his head negatively. "No, I finally got tired of doing that. I was just laying here thinking about Melissa and Ashley. Do you suppose that whoever did this to me is going to go after them, too?"  
Hutch hadn't told his friend who the culprit was. Starsky knew about Melissa's abusive marriage, and when she had first told him about it, he hadn't been very happy, to say the least. If he knew that Stephen was his assailant, he would have been furious, and Hutch knew Starsky needed his rest in order to get well.

Because he didn't know what Stephen was after, Hutch could honestly answer Starsky's question. "I don't know. Whatever he wants, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure he doesn't get it."

"Yeah, I know you will. Hey, what book did you bring?"

The brunette was soon sorry that he had asked. It was an informational book on the Venus fly trap, a plant Hutch had been considering adding to his collection. Hutch began rambling about what he had read up to this point, but stopped when he noticed that his chattering had put Starsky to sleep.

Laughing softly, Hutch said to himself, "Of course. I should have known this book would make him take a nap. Well, if it works, it works."

Starsky slept the better part of the day away, knowing his best friend would be there when he woke up again. The third time he awoke, Hutch was rising from the chair to leave.

"You're going already?"

"Starsk, I've been here all day. Melissa and Ashley are supposed to be coming by in a little while to see you, so try to stay awake, all right? I'll check on you tomorrow during lunch."

Hutch winked at his friend, then left the room. He passed the janitor a second time, and out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw the strange man staring at him. Hutch suddenly had a feeling that something bad was about to happen.

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Melissa and Ashley were making their way to the hospital at that very moment. Ashley couldn't stop thinking about her mother's prayer from a few nights earlier. Even though she recalled very little about her father, Ashley did remember that he hit her...often. She couldn't ever figure out exactly what it was that she had done to cause the abuse, but she always tried to do better. It never seemed to work, though.

In any case, the child decided that Dave had to be told about her daddy coming after him. Her mom had no idea that she had heard her prayer, so Ashley had to talk to Dave alone.

"Ashley," Melissa said, "you're being awfully quiet today. Is everything all right?"

Nodding, Ashley responded, "I was just thinking about Dave. He _is_ going to be okay, isn't he?"

Melissa smiled. "Of course he is. Hutch is going to make sure that nobody comes after Dave again."

Ashley hoped so. For some reason, she let her mind wander back to her father. The last time she remembered seeing him, she and her mother were pulling out of the driveway, and he was standing at the door of the house, yelling something at them. She couldn't make out what he was saying, and anyway, she was too busy crying to pay attention.

Ashley saw that her mom was turning into the hospital parking lot, and she asked, "Mom, can I talk to Dave first?"

Melissa agreed, and the mother-daughter pair proceeded to get out of the car and walk across the parking lot into the hospital.


	8. Chapter 8

Starsky was beginning to doze off, although he was trying hard to stay awake. "Come on, Melissa; I wanna see you and Ashley."

Just then he heard the door creak, and he called, "Melissa, is that you?"

The brunette received no answer from his visitor, and when he looked in the direction of the door, he saw a face he didn't recognize.

"Hey buddy, who you looking for?" Starsky inquired.

The stranger, wearing the clothes of a janitor, smiled for a moment before replying. "Don't worry; I've found the person I need to see."

Starsky didn't understand. "What do you mean? I've never met you before."

"No," the man said, "but you have something of mine, and I want it back."

"Didn't you hear what I just said? How can I have something of yours if I don't even know who you are?"

Starsky hoped no one would walk in during this little showdown with...well, with whoever this man was. But he had just finished the thought when he saw the door opening behind the stranger, and he dreaded seeing Melissa or Ashley on the other side.

The face he saw and the voice he heard belonged to Ashley. "Hi Dave; I need to talk to you." The red-headed child stopped when she saw her father standing in the room. "Daddy," Ashley whispered in a trembling voice.

That was a revelation for Starsky. "'_Daddy_'? Ashley, this is your father?"

Ashley, having backed herself into a corner, only nodded, with tears streaming down her face. "Please don't let him hurt me."

Hearing her say that bothered Starsky. He needed to get her out of the room. "Ashley, I need you to listen to me. Go outside and tell your mom to call Hutch. If he isn't home yet, she needs to call the captain at my job. Do you understand? Get Hutch over here."

Shaking her head yes, Ashley moved in the direction of the door, but she stopped when she heard Stephen call her name. "Ashley, don't walk out that door without first coming to give your old man a hug."

The little girl looked to her mother's boyfriend for help. He motioned with his good arm to keep going. "Ashley, don't pay him any attention. He doesn't want to hug you; he only wants to hurt you again."

Starsky abruptly felt a hand slap his face. Stephen snarled at him, "Stay out of this! It's none of your concern!"

"None of my concern?! Then why the hell did you attack me? You brought me into this." Turning his attention back to the child, Starsky repeated, "Ashley, tell your mother to call Hutch. I _need_ him. I _need_ my best friend."

"Ashley, don't you dare walk out that door unless you want a whooping," Stephen threatened.

"Listen to me, Ashley. I won't let him hurt you. You know I've never had a reason to lie to you before, and I'm not going to lie to you now. He won't lay a hand on you, I promise. I _promise_."

Stephen slapped Starsky again, knocking the upper half of the brunette's body off the side of the bed. He then grabbed Starsky by the collar and lifted him several inches off of the mattress. With his free hand, Stephen reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun.

Starsky called, "Ashley, get out of here! He has a gun!"

"Drop the gun, Griffin, return the patient to his bed, and put your hands in the air where I can see 'em!"

Starsky breathed a sigh of relief to hear Hutch's voice. How his partner knew what was going on, the brunette had no idea, but he didn't care. Starsky only knew that he was safe once again.

The faux janitor did, in part, what he was told. He loosened his grip on his victim, but instead of dropping his weapon, he jammed the blunt part of the gun into Starsky's ribs, where he had been shot.

Starsky curled up in pain, letting out a yelp. Quickly aiming, Hutch fired his gun at Stephen, who fell immediately to the ground. Hutch fired once more to make sure the damage was done, then he hurried to his partner's side.

Tossing the pillow onto a bedside chair, Hutch sat down at the top of the bed and moved Starsky's head to his lap.

Hutch began giving out orders. "Get Dr. Madison in here, and move Griffin's body out. Ashley, how about sitting in the hall awhile with your mom, okay?"

"Is Dave going to be all right, Hutch?"

The cop looked into the teary, blue eyed face of a little girl who dearly loved his friend. "I'm sure he'll be just fine, Ashley, but he's in a lot of pain and needs his rest."

Ashley started to leave, but stopped to look at Hutch again. "Will my daddy be able to hurt Dave again?"

Hutch shook his head negatively. "No, Ashley, he won't. He won't be able to hurt anyone anymore."

"Good. I'm glad."

Hutch watched the child leave, then turned his attention to his partner. "Are you all right, buddy?"

"Hutch, don't leave me. Please don't go," Starsky said in a hushed, hurting voice. "Stay here, okay?"

"I promise, Starsk. I'll be right here when you wake up again."


	9. Chapter 9

Hutch stayed by his best friend's side through the night. He sent word to Captain Dobey that he would not be coming into the precinct the next day because Starsky had been attacked again. He also mentioned that the culprit had been found, shot, and killed, then requested that the captain follow through with all of the necessary procedures. Hutch then called the Pits and left a message for Huggy that "the rooster is in the coop, and is incapable of coming out again", meaning that Starsky's assailant had been killed. Melissa and Ashley were sent home after Melissa was given the details of the incident.  
Starsky was administered pain medication regularly, causing him to remain unconscious, but Hutch didn't mind. He knew this time that his partner would make it. He was content just to sit and wait for those blue eyes to flicker open and look at him again.

At one point during the day, Hutch stepped into the corridor, strolled up to a nearby information desk, and inquired about borrowing a pad of paper and an ink pen. A nurse handed him the two items he was seeking, and after he thanked her, Hutch returned to Starsky's room.

Once again, Hutch began writing a letter to his best friend. This note was not being written out of sorrow or heartache, as the first had been; it was simply a letter of explanation, for he realized that his partner would like to know the reason why Stephen had attacked him in the first place.

Because the stationary was small, the letter was several pages long, but Hutch knew Starsky wouldn't mind a bit. He had just finished writing the final sentence, when he noticed Starsky staring at him.

"What are you doing?" the brunette asked sleepily.

Hutch sat for a moment, just gazing at his friend. "Nothing. I was just writing you a letter. Don't read it for a while though, all right?"

Starsky nodded slowly. "Leave it on the nightstand. How's Ashley? Is she all right, Hutch?"

"She's fine. She was crying when she left last night, because she didn't want to leave you, but I promised her that I would be here all day. That calmed her down a little, but she was still whimpering as she and Melissa walked out that door."

"Hutch, you wouldn't have believed the fear in her eyes when she saw Stephen standing in here. She began to cry almost immediately. I only wish I could have done more to help her yesterday."

The blond smiled. "Well, I'll tell you one thing, buddy: That little girl adores you, and she worships the ground you walk on. She wanted to make sure that her daddy wasn't going to be able to hurt you anymore. When I told her no, she gave me a tiny smile, but her eyes were dancing."

After a little while, Starsky informed Hutch, "Go on home and get some sleep. You look like you need a nice, long nap."

"Buddy, are you sure? I don't mind staying here with you."

The brunette finally managed to talk his friend into leaving. Starsky watched the door shut, then carefully slid himself close enough to the nightstand and reach Hutch's letter. He opened it, and began to read:

_Dr. Madison says you're going to be all right, Starsk. I can't wait until we're back walking our beat again. The precinct hasn't been the same without ya. All the guys said to give you their best--including Dobey. I told him that you'd been attacked again, but that Stephen had been shot and killed after refusing to obey orders. Apparently he had a very good plan, all laid out. After Melissa and Ashley left three years ago, Stephen began paying a private investigator to follow them. The guy he hired, obviously, was lousy at his job, considering it took him thirty-six months to find two people, just a couple states over. Not long after he hired the P.I., Stephen was contacted in regard to Melissa. He told him that she had employed a divorce attorney, but had been unable to serve Stephen because he had gone missing. An ad was placed in the local newspaper in reference to the hearing, but he never appeared in court. My guess is that the night Melissa left, Stephen thought she was bluffing about a divorce. But when she and Ashley didn't return, it bothered him, so he went off to drink. He drank every night the first few weeks, hoping the girls would come back, and that's why he never saw the ad; he was too drunk to read the paper. Anyway, Captain Dobey contacted the police in Stephen's hometown, and found out that he had been on probation for drunk driving, and he wasn't allowed to leave the state. Well, about three months ago, Stephen's P.I. contacted him again. Melissa had just moved to California, and had started dating a cop, by the name of Dave Starsky. Stephen felt such a deep need to control Melissa's every move, he took his chances and broke his probation to come out here. He followed you and your loved ones--that is, your girlfriend and her daughter, and your best friend--around for several weeks. He plotted, he planned, and, finally, he attacked. But you must have startled him, because the Colorado Police also informed Captain Dobey that Stephen was a skilled marksman. After missing you at your apartment that night, Stephen needed a new plan. The flowers he sent didn't have much to do with his scheme; they were really just a scare tactic. Stephen finally decided to blend right in at the hospital, by becoming a janitor. He bought some navy blue coveralls to match those of the custodians here, and waited for the perfect opportunity to attack a second time. But it backfired when I felt him staring at me yesterday, and got a funny feeling. I called for backup, then listened for the right time to blow his cover. I saw Melissa sitting in the hallway alone, and knew that Ashley was in here with you. Then I heard you holler something about a gun, and you know the rest of the story._

_As I was talking with Melissa and Ashley last night, Ashley told me everything that happened after she entered the room. You knew how fearful of Stephen she's been, and you wanted to get her away from him. He threatened to beat her, like he used to, but you promised her that you wouldn't let him. That was pretty slick thinking on your part, Starsk, if you ask me. I know from past experience that you're often willing take the pain for someone who doesn't deserve it, and that's exactly what you were doing yesterday for Ashley. You know, a lot of people are going to look to me as the conqueror of this entire bust, but I don't think that's quite accurate. I've got to agree with what Ashley told me last night: She said that you were her hero, Starsk, because you were brave. Knowing you, you were probably scared half out of your mind, but you did what you knew you had to do, and that's what Ashley saw yesterday. Even from a hospital bed, buddy, you were still the hero I've always known you to be. You protected the innocent, and you saved the life of a little girl that loves you very much. Just thought you'd like to know Captain Dobey's proud of you for what you did yesterday, and all he could say was, "What a guy." So rest up, Hero, because when you return to the office, I have a feeling there's going to be a victory party in your honor._

Starsky looked up from the stationary. So he was the underdog in all of this, huh? He smiled as he thought of Hutch, Melissa, and Ashley. They each saw something different in him--whether it be a friend, a lover, or a hero. That last one caused him to blush.

"I don't where you come off calling me a hero, Hutch," Starsky said to himself, "but I know one thing: I'm pretty lucky to have three people that love me as much as you and the girls do. Maybe I am a hero; I don't know. In my mind, though, _you_ really are the hero. There was only so much I could do from a hospital bed. You saved my life, Hutch, and in turn, you may have also spared Melissa's and Ashley's. Who knows? Maybe we can share the title."

Starsky eventually drifted off to sleep again. At least for the time being, he didn't have to worry about anyone coming after him. Starsky knew that before too long he'd be back on the streets again, busting bad guys and watching out for weirdos, but he was okay with that. Once again he'd been reminded that his partner, his best friend, would be watching out for him and taking care of him. That was enough to make any man, hero or not, sleep soundly.


End file.
